Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.
Saturday, November 13, 2010
Coleman Jacoby, R. I. P.
Coleman Jacoby, a Comedy Writer, Dies at 95 - NYTimes.com: "Coleman Jacoby, a comedy writer during the golden age of television who, with his partner Arnie Rosen, created some of Jackie Gleason’s most memorable characters and engineered one of the great match-ups in television history, Gleason and Art Carney, died on Oct. 20 in East Meadow, N.Y. He was 95 and lived in Manhattan."
South Korea Leads the Way
But at least the U. S. is ahead of Hungary.
Link via TechBlog.
It Tasted Like Chicken
The Associated Press: Man says he was forced to eat beard in mower spat: "A central Kentucky man says he was forced to eat his beard after an argument about a lawn mower got out of control. Harvey Westmoreland of Lawrenceburg told WLEX-TV that two men cut off his beard, stuffed it into his mouth and forced him to eat it."
Gina Lollobrigida Update
Gina Lollobrigida in New York. Need We Say More? - NYTimes.com: "Ms. Lollobrigida is now 83, as vital and vibrant and hot-blooded as she was in her many roles as the voluptuous queen/gypsy/trapeze artist/opera singer/who cares, when she was routinely referred to by the aforementioned superlative, and even starred in a film by that name (retitled “Beautiful but Dangerous” for its American release, for some reason). She lives in Italy, but was passing through New York these last two weeks for a bunch of reasons, explained over the course of a couple of chats."
New E-Book Available!
A collection of some of my short stories. You can get it in just about any e-format, right here.
Florida Leads the Way
Dealership: Buy Truck, Get Free AK-47 - Orlando News Story - WKMG Orlando: "SANFORD, Fla -- A Sanford truck dealership is running a special promotion, offering a free AK-47 with the purchase of a used truck."
'Tis the Season
So for Christmas would you prefer the rubber band Gatling gun or the wrist-mounted flamethrower? Maybe, if you're very, very good, Santa will bring you both.
John D. MacDonald Standalone Back in Print
Gutter Books: "STOLEN MONEY, STOLEN LIVES ...Tal Howard, a disillusioned Korean War vet, breaks away from his old life, looking for answers and convinced he's going to find them in the small town of Hillston. What's in Hillston? Sixty grand in embezzled funds that Howard learned about from a dying friend in a POW camp. He just needs to find out where the money is hidden and contend with another former POW who has come looking for it, Earl Fitzmartin--a psychopath they were all terrified of in the camp."
Night Owls vs. Morning People
Night owls vs. morning people: Who's smarter? - Yahoo! News: "Recent evidence shows that people who thrive at night have higher IQs. Early risers beg to differ.
Are you the type who stays up late to finish your work, or do you get up early to make a fresh start on the day? If it's the former, you may be pleased to learn new research has found that those with higher IQs tend to be nocturnal night-owls. But if it's the latter, you might have good reason to distrust the claim. Here's an instant guide:"
50 States, 50 Television Series
Remember those maps with 50 states and 50 movies? Well, here's the TV version.
Link via Neatorama.
Friday, November 12, 2010
Cougar Update
Jack Russell trees mountain lion in South Dakota: "A 150-pound mountain lion was no match for a squirrel-chasing terrier on a farm in eastern South Dakota. Jack the Jack Russell weighs only 17 pounds, and yet he managed to trap the cougar up a tree on Tuesday.
Jack's owner, Chad Strenge, told The Argus Leader that the dog 'trees cats all the time,' and that the plucky terrier probably 'figured it was just a cat.'"
Jack's owner, Chad Strenge, told The Argus Leader that the dog 'trees cats all the time,' and that the plucky terrier probably 'figured it was just a cat.'"
Hat tip to Art Scott.
Caiman Update
BBC - Earth News - Caiman attacks wildlife presenter filming in Argentina: "A spectacled caiman attacked wildlife presenter Steve Backshall during filming for the BBC in Argentina.
Backshall was looking for yellow anacondas as he waded through wetlands but was taken by surprise by the crocodilian reptile."
Backshall was looking for yellow anacondas as he waded through wetlands but was taken by surprise by the crocodilian reptile."
Video at the link.
A Milestone, of Sorts
Back when I wasn't looking, about 35 posts ago, the 15,000th post appeared on this blog. I need to get a life.
And Stay off Her Damn Lawn!
Local News | 86-year-old Columbia Sportswear executive fools robber | Seattle Times Newspaper: "Gert Boyle, the 86-year-old leader of Columbia Sportswear whose book describes her as 'One Tough Mother,' fooled a robber by tripping a silent alarm at her suburban home, summoning police and leading to the capture of a suspect.
She was roughed up when the robber tied her hands Wednesday afternoon, police said, but wasn't seriously injured."
She was roughed up when the robber tied her hands Wednesday afternoon, police said, but wasn't seriously injured."
Hat tip to Rosemarie Keenan.
PaperBack
Anonymous ("Written at the Suggestion of Willys Motors"), Poker According to Maverick, Dell, 1959.
He Can See It Coming
Researcher offers scientific evidence people can see into the future | Raw Story: "A prominent psychological journal is expected to make history later this year when it publishes what is believed to be the first scientific paper arguing that humans can predict the future."
Headline of the Day
Plus some good advice: Never smile at a crocodile... and definitely don't eat his privates
Forgotten Books: DEATH BY THE DAY -- Lawrence Fisher
Okay, let's start with the cover. It's a nice cover, but it has nothing at all to do with the book. The femme fatale in the novel is a redhead, as is emphasized again and again. There's another woman, but she has hair the color of wheat. So who's the woman on the cover? Not that it matters, since there are also no rifles or revolvers in the book. Aside from those minor quibbles, it fits perfectly.Oh, wait. I forgot one thing. The million bucks. There's no million bucks. Nobody even mentions a million bucks. But aside from that, it's a fine cover.
The narrator of the story is Nick Paulson, a tough young punk who's out for all he can get. He and his softie younger brother work at a down-at-the-heels resort hotel. The brother's a hard worker who believes in education and doing the right thing. Nick believes in doing unto others before they do unto him. He's out for himself and for money, and when he gets the chance to join in on a jewel heist, he's all for it. I don't want to spoil the plot for you, but things do not go as planned. Everybody's double-crossing everybody else, and this is one of those books that seems headed for a downbeat ending before the author starts sprinkling fairy dust. The ending seems fake. It fits the novel about like the cover does. Still, if you don't have a Gold Medal book at hand and you want to read something in the GM mold, this one might be okay.
I have no idea who Lawrence Fisher was or what happened to him. I see that someone by that name wrote a couple of crime novels for Random House, but that's about. Truly a forgotten writer, I suppose.
By the way, if you're a dog or cat lover, I recommend that you forget this book. It has a scene or two that will really upset you.
Thursday, November 11, 2010
USB Typewriter Update
USB Typewriter: "The USBTypewriter™ is a new and groundbreaking innovation in the field of obsolescence. Lovers of the look, feel, and quality of old fashioned manual typewriters can now use them as keyboards for any USB-capable computer, such as a PC, Mac, or even iPad! The modification is easy to install, it involves no messy wiring, and does not change the outward appearance of the typewriter (except for the usb adapter itself, which is mounted in the rear of the machine). So the end result is a retro-style USB keyboard that not only looks great, but feels great to use."
Video at the link.
Oregon Leads the Way
Hundreds of rodent lovers attend rat show - UPI.com: "Organizers of an Oregon rat show said hundreds of rodent lovers, owners and breeders turned up for the event."
Dino De Laurentiis dies, R. I. P.
AFP: Italian cinema legend De Laurentiis dies: "ROME — Dino De Laurentiis, producer of some of Italy's best-known films including works by Federico Fellini and Roberto Rossellini, has died in Los Angeles aged 91, Italian media reported on Thursday.
The Oscar-winner also produced several famous films in the United States, including 'Serpico' with Al Pacino in 1973, 'Three Days of the Condor' with Robert Redford and Faye Dunaway in 1975 and Ridley Scott's 'Hannibal' in 2001.
'Cinema has lost one of its greats,' said Walter Veltroni, an Italian lawmaker and former mayor of Rome who founded the Rome Film Festival.
'The name of Dino De Laurentiis is tied to the history of cinema,' he said."
The Oscar-winner also produced several famous films in the United States, including 'Serpico' with Al Pacino in 1973, 'Three Days of the Condor' with Robert Redford and Faye Dunaway in 1975 and Ridley Scott's 'Hannibal' in 2001.
'Cinema has lost one of its greats,' said Walter Veltroni, an Italian lawmaker and former mayor of Rome who founded the Rome Film Festival.
'The name of Dino De Laurentiis is tied to the history of cinema,' he said."
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Yesterday It Was Chocolate. Today, . . .
Scarcity of peyote means hard times for dealers: "RIO GRANDE CITY, Texas -- When the state of Texas licensed him as a peyote distributor in 1990, Mauro Morales put a sign in his front yard with his name and phone number: 'Peyote Dealer. Buy or Sell Peyote.'
His neighbors balked, saying calling so much attention to his trade had to be against the law. 'So I called Austin and said, 'I think everything's legal. I've got the paperwork. Can't I put up a sign?'' Morales recalled.
Twenty years later, the sign still stands, but it's harder than ever for Morales to make a living. The hallucinogenic cactus is becoming more difficult to find because many ranchers have stopped allowing peyote harvesters on their land, preferring to plow the grayish-green plant under so cattle can graze. Others now lease their property to deer hunters or oil and gas companies."
His neighbors balked, saying calling so much attention to his trade had to be against the law. 'So I called Austin and said, 'I think everything's legal. I've got the paperwork. Can't I put up a sign?'' Morales recalled.
Twenty years later, the sign still stands, but it's harder than ever for Morales to make a living. The hallucinogenic cactus is becoming more difficult to find because many ranchers have stopped allowing peyote harvesters on their land, preferring to plow the grayish-green plant under so cattle can graze. Others now lease their property to deer hunters or oil and gas companies."
Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.
Mysterious Press Update
Grove Atlantic Relaunches Penzler's Mysterious Press: "Grove Atlantic is relaunching the Mysterious Press with legendary editor Otto Penzler in fall 2011. The imprint will publish 10 to 12 new books a year in hardcover and paperback.
The original Mysterious Press launched in 1975 and was sold to Warner Books in 1989. Penzler recently reacquired the name from Hachette, which bought Warner Books in 2005. Grove Atlantic publisher Morgan Entrekin said his house has been successfully publishing mysteries for the last few years, most notably with Donna Leon, author of the Commisario Guido Brunetti novels. “We are thrilled to start this partnership with Otto Penzler, who is recognized as one of the premier editors and publishers of mysteries and thrillers working today,” Entrekin said."
The original Mysterious Press launched in 1975 and was sold to Warner Books in 1989. Penzler recently reacquired the name from Hachette, which bought Warner Books in 2005. Grove Atlantic publisher Morgan Entrekin said his house has been successfully publishing mysteries for the last few years, most notably with Donna Leon, author of the Commisario Guido Brunetti novels. “We are thrilled to start this partnership with Otto Penzler, who is recognized as one of the premier editors and publishers of mysteries and thrillers working today,” Entrekin said."
Hat tip to Fred Zackel.
Seepy Benton at the Heart Attack Grill #2
Yes, this is the Heart Attack Grill, not Steve Stilwell's house.
Really, Hollywood? Really?
CAA Searching for Suitor to Solve Its 'Rubik's Cube' Movie | TheWrap.com: "While Universal has 'Battleship' and DreamWorks has the Viewfinder, it remains a mystery which lucky studio will walk away with the rights to produce a movie built around the Rubik's Cube.
That's right, folks! CAA's Matt Rosen is shopping the rights to Hungarian sculptor Ernő Rubik's colorful puzzle that has brought joy and frustration to people of all ages across the globe."
That's right, folks! CAA's Matt Rosen is shopping the rights to Hungarian sculptor Ernő Rubik's colorful puzzle that has brought joy and frustration to people of all ages across the globe."
She Knows What Young People Want
Czech politician Ivona Fiserova to strip naked in a bid to attract votes | Metro.co.uk: "She took to her Facebook page saying, ‘It’s about time people in this party got up to date with modern thinking and realised what young people want.'"
Mildly NSFW photo at the link.
Gene Shalit Update
Gene Shalit Leaving 'Today' Show After 40 Years - The Hollywood Reporter: "Gene Shalit, the uniquely-coiffed television personality who has been a mainstay on the Today show for four decades, will leave the NBC program on Nov. 11.
Shalit said in a statement from his pr representative, 'It's enough already.'"
Shalit said in a statement from his pr representative, 'It's enough already.'"
The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald
The BIG One - WTAM 1100: "35-years-ago Wednesday, a brutal November storm roared across the Lake Superior. On November 10, 1975, the 729-foot steamer Edmund Fitzgerald was lost in that infamous storm near Whitefish Point, Michigan with her entire crew of 29 men.
The Fitzgerald’s story has become a popular legend through a song by Canadian folksinger Gordon Lightfoot – and the cause of her loss remains a mystery thirty-five years later."
The Fitzgerald’s story has become a popular legend through a song by Canadian folksinger Gordon Lightfoot – and the cause of her loss remains a mystery thirty-five years later."
Tuesday, November 09, 2010
Say It Ain't So!
The end of chocolate? : The Thin Green Line: "Says John Mason, founder of the Ghana-based Nature Conservation Research Council: 'In 20 years chocolate will be like caviar. It will become so rare and so expensive that the average Joe just won't be able to afford it.'"
Hat tip to Art Scott.
Mystery Scene Update from Kate Stine
Hi everyone,
We're just finishing up Holiday Issue #117, which should hit newsstands in mid-November.
In the new issue, author Dennis Lehane discusses the much-anticipated return of Boston PIs Angie Gennaro and Patrick Kenzie in Moonlight Mile. We also talk to Tasha Alexander about her new novel Dangerous to Know and her Victorian heroine Lady Emily, a woman truly before her time. And you won't want to miss our examination of Stuart Neville's tough, morally complex Irish thrillers The Ghosts of Belfast and Collusion.
Author Carolyn Hart discusses the solace that good books can provide in hard times, and we hear from other writers who share their favorite comfort reads. If you're just getting started on holiday gift buying, be sure to consult the annualMystery Scene Gift Guide. We'll also be making online additions throughout the next month. The first online list, "Spy Kids," is available here.
Lawrence Block remembers the colorful bank-robber-turned-crime-writer Albert Nussbaum, and lots more!
We're just finishing up Holiday Issue #117, which should hit newsstands in mid-November.
In the new issue, author Dennis Lehane discusses the much-anticipated return of Boston PIs Angie Gennaro and Patrick Kenzie in Moonlight Mile. We also talk to Tasha Alexander about her new novel Dangerous to Know and her Victorian heroine Lady Emily, a woman truly before her time. And you won't want to miss our examination of Stuart Neville's tough, morally complex Irish thrillers The Ghosts of Belfast and Collusion.
Author Carolyn Hart discusses the solace that good books can provide in hard times, and we hear from other writers who share their favorite comfort reads. If you're just getting started on holiday gift buying, be sure to consult the annualMystery Scene Gift Guide. We'll also be making online additions throughout the next month. The first online list, "Spy Kids," is available here.
Lawrence Block remembers the colorful bank-robber-turned-crime-
Sincerely,
Kate Stine
Editor-in-Chief
50 Books about Books
Reading Guide for Bibliophiles – Fine Books and Collections: "50 Books About Books"
Link via The Bunburyist.
Once Again, Texas Leads the Way
Reality bursts $500,000 Bentley buying bubble | Houston & Texas News | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle: "A 27-year-old man put other hot check writers to shame recently by allegedly trying to purchase two Bentleys in Houston with a $500,000 fake check.
Walter Allen Jr. on Friday used his actual driver's license and, prosecutors say, a very large bogus check from the Federal Reserve Bank in Atlanta to buy two Bentleys at Post Oak Motor Cars. Allen even brought a notary public with him to sign the papers."
Walter Allen Jr. on Friday used his actual driver's license and, prosecutors say, a very large bogus check from the Federal Reserve Bank in Atlanta to buy two Bentleys at Post Oak Motor Cars. Allen even brought a notary public with him to sign the papers."
The Decline of Western Civilization Continues Apace
Fox, Walden Media Win ‘The Family Circus’ – Deadline.com: "20th Century Fox has teamed with Walden Media to buy rights to Bil Keane's venerable syndicated comic strip The Family Circus, and they've hired Bob Hilgenberg & Rob Muir to script a live action feature."
Goldfish Update
Goldfish the latest weapon to protect world leaders at summit | Herald Sun: "In addition to thousands of heavily-armed police and troops, six goldfish will put their lives on the line to safeguard world leaders at this week's G-20 summit in the South Korean capital, officials said Tuesday."
Angels of Mons: Arthur Machen's Accidental Hoax
AbeBooks: Angels of Mons: Arthur Machen's Accidental Hoax: "Of all the memorable tales to emerge from World War I, the most remarkable one is untrue. The Angels of Mons is a legend that evolved from one writer’s skillful ability to weave ghostly stories. This particularly tale gripped a nation badly in need of hope. For some, fiction became reality."
Battle of San Jacinto Update
Battle of San Jacinto painting expected to bring in $100K | Top stories | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle: "Its whereabouts publicly unknown for nearly a century, this historic 1901 oil painting depicting the Battle of San Jacinto has been found in the attic of a West Virginia house."
A Blog Devoted to the Covers of Paperback Gothics, Especially their Covers
Women Running from Houses: "APPRECIATING THE ART OF GOTHIC ROMANCE NOVELS
Several years ago I had the good fortune of stumbling across a collection of 60's and 70's Gothic romance novels at a garage sale. The uses of the term 'good fortune' has nothing whatsoever to do with the quality of the novels themselves. In fact, they were all equally terrible. But it was my 'good fortune' to learn of a previously unknown art form. The art of women running from houses."
Several years ago I had the good fortune of stumbling across a collection of 60's and 70's Gothic romance novels at a garage sale. The uses of the term 'good fortune' has nothing whatsoever to do with the quality of the novels themselves. In fact, they were all equally terrible. But it was my 'good fortune' to learn of a previously unknown art form. The art of women running from houses."
Link via Neatorama.
Monday, November 08, 2010
Charles Reynolds, R. I. P.
Charles Reynolds, Magicians’ Magician, Dies at 78 - NYTimes.com: "Charles Reynolds, who described his business as providing “chaste, charming, weird, wonderful and supernatural illusions” — and who proved it by coming up with two entirely different ways to make an elephant disappear — died on Thursday at his home in Manhattan. He was 78.
[. . . .]
Mr. Reynolds belonged to the circumspect, virtually invisible world of “backroom boys” who help magicians refine their acts. In “Merlin,” a 1983 Broadway musical starring Doug Henning, he figured out how to make a live white horse and rider vanish into thin air. In “Blackstone!,” a 1980 Broadway show, he helped Harry Blackstone Jr. bifurcate his wife with a buzz saw."
[. . . .]
Mr. Reynolds belonged to the circumspect, virtually invisible world of “backroom boys” who help magicians refine their acts. In “Merlin,” a 1983 Broadway musical starring Doug Henning, he figured out how to make a live white horse and rider vanish into thin air. In “Blackstone!,” a 1980 Broadway show, he helped Harry Blackstone Jr. bifurcate his wife with a buzz saw."
News from Steve Steinbock
All this week and next week I'm hosting a celebration of the "Tough Guy" in audiobooks. Sponsored by AudioFile Magazine, the event features links to interviews with narrators Stacy Keach, Richard Ferrone, and Dick Hill. I also had the unique opportunity to interview Jack Reacher, hero of Lee Child's bestselling series. The actors share their favorite scenes and give their unique approaches to being the voices of hard-boiled detectives--including Keach's role as Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer. Visitors will get the skinny on the best audiobooks of gumshoes, grifters, and dames.
Each weekday, from Nov. 8 to November 19, I'll be introducing and profiling a different tough guy hero, including Spade, Marlowe, Hammer, Spenser, Parker, Nameless, and Scudder. I welcome everyone to stop by and joint he discussion.
Visitors also have the opportunity to download Tom Lopez's brilliant "2-Minute Noir" stories, courtesy of ZBS Audio.
The main page is at http://www.audiobookcommunity.com/events/tough-guys-on-audio . Discussions (with the daily "Tough Guy" profiles) are located at the Get Caught Listening forum (http://www.audiobookcommunity.com/group/getcaughtlistening ).
Stop by and I'll pour you a Scotch.
Each weekday, from Nov. 8 to November 19, I'll be introducing and profiling a different tough guy hero, including Spade, Marlowe, Hammer, Spenser, Parker, Nameless, and Scudder. I welcome everyone to stop by and joint he discussion.
Visitors also have the opportunity to download Tom Lopez's brilliant "2-Minute Noir" stories, courtesy of ZBS Audio.
The main page is at http://www.audiobookcommunity.
Stop by and I'll pour you a Scotch.
No Comment Department
STD Test? There's an App for That | The New York Observer: "According to The Guardian, 4 million pounds have been invested in the UK Clinical Research Collaboration, which is creating a smartphone app that will allow users, 'to put urine or saliva on to a computer chip about the size of a USB chip, plug it into their phone or computer and receive a diagnosis within minutes.'"
Rut -- Scott Phillips
A phrase I don't think I've read in a novel before: "frog orgy." And in Rut, you also get a detailed description of froggie sex. Don't think I've read about anything like that before, either.But then Rut might not be the you expected from Scott Phillips. It's not a crime novel. It's set 30 or 40 years in the future in the small Colorado town of Gower, which used to be a ski resort but which is now not much of anything. We don't learn a lot about the rest of the country, but it seems that the U. S. isn't much of anything, either. China's the power now.
Gower has a corrupt mayor, a veterinarian who's now a school principal, and an assortment of other odd characters, including a young woman who's doing post-graduate work that has to do with those frogs I mentioned. They go about their daily lives, meet, mingle, entangle, disentangle. Travelers return, people die, and in the end things and people have changed, some of them for the better, though no one's sure just what's going to happen next.
Rut's a book that, if it appeared in the time that Phillips envisions, might be thought of as a mainstream novel. Now it's a glimpse into a future that might scare you or might not. Phillips gives you clean prose, crisp writing, and characters you'll care about. It's well worth a look to see, and all you have to do to get a copy of the book is to ask for it. Here's that link again.
Dennis Lehane’s Favorite Short Story Collections
Dennis Lehane’s Favorite Short Story Collections - The Daily Beast: "It may surprise some that bestselling novelist Dennis Lehane is a huge fan of short stories. From Andre Dubus to Wells Tower, he picks his 5 favorite collections."
Alberto Vargas: Classic Pin-Up Nudes
Probably NSFW, but don't let that stop you.
Update: Another Vargas link.
Here's the Plot for Your Next Bank Heist Thriller
Tiffany R. Jones, Justice McCallister | Money Unaccounted for After Homewood Bank Robbery: "It seemed to be a quick and successful end to a violent bank robbery when the alleged robbers were arrested within moments of fleeing a Homewood bank Tuesday morning.
But the mystery deepened Wednesday when it was learned that the FBI cannot account for $7,500 still missing from the US Bank branch at 183rd Street and Kedzie Avenue."
But the mystery deepened Wednesday when it was learned that the FBI cannot account for $7,500 still missing from the US Bank branch at 183rd Street and Kedzie Avenue."
Sunday, November 07, 2010
Skill & Craftsmanship Are Things of the Past
Printers take skill out of counterfeiting - UPI.com: "Funny money is turning up in record amounts now that computers and high-tech printers have taken the skill out of counterfeiting, the U.S. Secret Service says.
The agency said that in 2009 more than 60 percent of counterfeit bills were created on digital printers. In 1995 only 1 percent were.
'There really is no craftsmanship or workmanship in this anymore,' Special Agent Scott Vogel, a 20-year veteran, told the Detroit Free Press. 'If you're able to put a piece of paper in a copy machine and push a button, that's pretty much all it takes.'"
The agency said that in 2009 more than 60 percent of counterfeit bills were created on digital printers. In 1995 only 1 percent were.
'There really is no craftsmanship or workmanship in this anymore,' Special Agent Scott Vogel, a 20-year veteran, told the Detroit Free Press. 'If you're able to put a piece of paper in a copy machine and push a button, that's pretty much all it takes.'"
Concord Free Press
Concord Free Press - Home: "We publish great books and give them away. All we ask is that you make a voluntary donation to a charity or someone in need. Tell us about it. Then pass your book along so others can give. It’s a new kind of publishing, one based purely on generosity, and it’s changing the way people think about books."I'll be reviewing Scott Phillips' Rut from Concord Free Press in a day or so. Meanwhile, if you want to get a free copy for yourself, you can click the link and sign up. They'll send one right to your door.
Worth Dying For -- Lee Child
By now you know what to expect. Jack Reacher arrives somewhere and gets involved in the kind of situation that only Jack Reacher could handle. This time he's fresh from his experience in 61 Hours, which a cortisone shot pretty much takes care of. (If you're wondering how he escaped that situation, it's all covered in about four sentences.) He's hitchhiking to Virginia to see the woman he talked with on the phone in 61 Hours when he's dropped in Nowhere, Nebraska. An entire corner of a county has been taken over by the Duncan family, and people do as they're told. They don't call the cops because the cops are far away and not too interested. They don't resist because they know they'd lose. After all, the Duncans have 10 former University of Nebraska football players to do their dirty work. The Duncans have a dark secret, and they don't make all their money hauling farm crops. And then Reacher shows up.Reacher by now is like an implacable force of nature. The ungodly don't stand a chance against him. It's merely a question of how he's going to deal with them. In this book it's like he's channeling Mack Bolan. Not that the baddies don't deserve that they get. Reacher is the judge, jury, and The Executioner.
Clean writing, slick suspense, the usual extended descriptions of just about everything, and Jack Reacher. That's the package, and if it's not #1 on the bestseller lists, I'm sure it soon will be.
Heart Attack Grill Update
At 600 pounds, man's a good fit for promoting Heart Attack Grill: "Blair River stands 6 feet 8 inches tall and weighs about 600 pounds. His weight and his enthusiasm for the food at Chandler's Heart Attack Grill have won him a $100-an-hour modeling contract.
This week he shot a YouTube video commercial to promote the grill, which invites anyone over 350 pounds to eat for free."
This week he shot a YouTube video commercial to promote the grill, which invites anyone over 350 pounds to eat for free."
Photo of the happy model at the link.
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